his cigar kindled. "Prepared to
turn me down at all points?" he suggested.

Jake's mouth relaxed a little. "Prepared to listen anyway," he said.
"It's to do with young Bunny, I take it."

Saltash leaned back in his chair with a laugh. "Very smart of you! Bunny
certainly is my first proposition. What are you going to do with him?"

Jake also leaned back, and smoked for several seconds in silence. Saltash
watched him with semi-comic curiosity.

"Something of a problem, eh?" he said, after a pause.

Jake's eyes came to him and remained upon him with steady insistence.
"He's not going to turn into a fancy-dress loafer, my lord," he said at
length in his soft, deliberate voice. "I'll see to that anyway."

"Don't be nasty, Jake!" protested Saltash with a smile. "I'm not
proposing to adopt him. But I can give him employment, if that's what
he's wanting. What do you want to make of him?"

Jake's steady look remained upon him. "Just an honest man, I reckon," he
said.

"Ah! Quite so!" Open mockery gleamed back at him from Saltash's
half-closed eyes. "All contaminating influences to be kept away. Is that
it?"

Jake was silent.

Saltash sent a cloud of smoke upwards before he spoke again. Then: "I
agree with you, Jake," he said. "We mustn't spoil the boy. He shan't
learn any naughty ways from me. Come! That's a promise. And I'm not such
a blackguard as I used to be."

"Sure?" said Jake.

Again Saltash's smile flashed across at him. "Quite sure, my worthy
philosopher," he made light reply. "I don't set up for a model of virtue
of course, but at least--now-a-days--I never take what I can't pay for."

"That so?" said Jake. He considered the matter for a few moments, then
slowly took the cigar from between his lips and spoke. "It's certainly
true; Bunny is a problem. He's not strong; and though he's got grit, he
hasn't got what I call punching power. He's been ordered an out-door
life, and he wants to join me in running the stud. I could do with him of
course, but I've a strong feeling against it, anyway till he's older.
It's not the right atmosphere for him, and it doesn't bring him in
contact with the right people. He ought to be in the Army, but he wasn't
strong enough. It's a big grievance with him for there's nothing
radically wrong; just weak tendencies that he may outgrow if he leads a
healthy life and doesn't strain himself. We're just marking time at
present, so if you have anything to suggest--well, I've no do